Columns

For several weeks, I have been hearing about horrific traffic jams on U.S. 521 in the Van Wyck Road/Doby’s Bridge Road area between 6 and 7:15 a.m. on weekdays.
About 1,000 students are dropped off by car at Indian Land Elementary School each morning between 6 and 7:15 a.m. This is plenty of traffic to cause the reported jam, which apparently causes delays of 40 minutes or more for commuters using U.S. 521 to get to work in the morning.

The fact that South Carolina is ranked as one of the worst-run states in America should be of great concern to everyone. We were No. 43 on the survey of 50 states in 2012. This information was reported by 247wallst.com:
u Debt per capita: $3,419 – 25th highest
u Budget deficit: 26.1 percent – 11th largest
u Unemployment: 10 percent – tied in eighth place as highest
u Median household income: $42,367 – ninth lowest
u Percentage below poverty line: 18.9 percent – ninth highest

We all know that in the global economy of the 21st century, we in South Carolina are competing with Germany and Brazil just as much as we’re competing with North Carolina and Georgia.
The question is: how are we doing? And the answer is: not so great… at least when it comes to education.
When the subject of education comes up, it’s easy for politicians and policy makers to talk about things in generalities and rely on ideological rhetoric to try and make their point. Let’s try hard data for once.

While South Carolina elected officials were busy this past session indebting South Carolina taxpayers an additional $120 million for the benefit of a single – one already located in-state – North Carolina’s elected officials were busy making actual tax cuts across the board.

Editor’s note: Lancaster resident Randolph English and other members of the Both Sides Stop the Violence Committee wrote a letter to President Barack Obama urging that more be done to stop the homicides caused by gun violence. The letter, “Let’s put an end to violence,” published in the May 19 edition of The Lancaster News. Following is the response from President Obama.

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is seeking volunteers in Lancaster – walkers, cancer survivors, caregivers, community leaders, anyone wanting to make a difference – to organize and recruit fundraising teams, garner community support, coordinate logistics, seek refreshments and prizes, plan entertainment and lend a hand to ensure the success of the 2014 event.

At the outset, let me stipulate that 99.999 percent – or more – of all the words uttered by politicians are thoroughly forgettable, and that they usually are forgotten nearly as soon as they are spoken.
But occasionally – very, very occasionally – a politician says something that is not only remembered, but actually changes history.
In short, words matter.

Perhaps the most dangerous thing a nation can do is stop defining itself – especially our nation, which was founded for the purpose of protecting and preserving liberty, justice and opportunity for all.
We don’t like labels these days – we’re told they are “too confining.”
But defining what system of government we have in place and what economic system is actually practiced is an exercise free people would be wise to undertake frequently.

The Bible teaches that no one is saved by doing good works. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”
Saving faith requires us to believe that by his death at Calvary The Lord Jesus Christ paid for all our sins, and that he rose from the dead to become our living Savior.